


A Blinding Light That Bursts

by scalphunter



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Drama, Ficlet, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Rex Deserved Better, Rex Is Loyal, Rex Needs Therapy, introspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:42:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25939120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scalphunter/pseuds/scalphunter
Summary: Rex pretends he is doing this for his sanity, for the betterment of the battalion, to keep Skywalker on the right path. He tells himself this over and over.
Relationships: CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 2
Kudos: 66





	A Blinding Light That Bursts

Rex’s General is a blinding light. He’s powerful, strong; this happy young man who had the whole the galaxy in his hands and yet saw little to no need for it.

He laughed along with Fives’ terrible jokes, came to Rex when his former Master gave him one lecture or seven with a scowl on his face just like a shiny. He protects Tano, guides her the way he thought was right, and in turn Ahsoka grew close to him and clearly loves him. Rex’s General, who he knew as a Padawan, is the kind of man only one generation is lucky to obtain.

Rex’s General was someone like a true north to Rex and his men. Over the years, he and Skywalker had developed a bond where they could tune in to each other’s battle plans, leaving Kenobi and Cody staring at them like they were particularly dense individuals. Rex would like to counter that Kenobi and Cody have these silent conversations with other people in the room and don’t care so they could shut up really.

There is something about Skywalker that makes people stop; he’s a whirlpool of energy, of fight, of resilience and cunning and it makes him formidable. Rex spends a lot of his time trying to keep Skywalker and Tano alive, it is harder than it sounds because where he goes, she follows and Rex ends up trudging after them, ignoring the pointed look he can tell Jesse’ is giving him through his bucket.

He has seen Cody go from zero to rage under a mask of professionalism when Skywalker offers up a particularly daring plan that has a multitude of ways that could go wrong if it were not for Skywalker himself leading the charge. It’s amusing, especially when Rex allies with his General, watching the betrayal flit across Cody’s eyes of _‘you are as crazy as him’_.

He knows about Skywalker’s affair with Senator Amidala. He thinks sometimes the pair – and yes, he means her too – are about as subtle as a full-on assault in broad day-light with canons. Rex knows that Cody knows, and that Kenobi definitely knows, but his General is also as thick as two boulders, and trying to protect other people means he will never out loud confirm it to Kenobi’s face. Because that then makes Kenobi an accomplice. Like Rex.

Rex pretends he is doing this for his sanity, for the betterment of the battalion, to keep Skywalker on the right path. He tells himself this over and over. It doesn’t take, of course it doesn’t, he isn’t an idiot, and yet he keeps his distance as much as he feasibly can. Skywalker risks himself for Rex and his men, and Tano, on an almost regular basis, much to Rex’s nerves. Not that he isn’t grateful that he lives for another day, or that Tano keeps breathing – he has become quite fond of her – it’s just that Rex worries. And he shouldn’t.

_Worrying for clones leads to fear, fear leads to anxiety, anxiety leads to destruction, and finally destruction leads to decommissioning or reprogramming and that is the end of it all._

So, he hides, and channels his fear into yanking his General back, into holding onto Tano and barking orders at her so that she will listen, for kriff’s sake! And afterwards, when Skywalker leans on his frame and smiles brightly, hair singed to all hell and still radiating in light, this visceral feeling swamps them and Rex can count it as a win. Tano, just like her Master, pushes and pokes her way so she is heard and honestly, they are well matched and he visits her when she recovers from the virus in the private med-bay.

‘You know sir, this is a bit lazy’ he says lightly, and she scowls at him.

‘Sorry, Captain, I was a bit distracted at the time to think about whether I might end up lounging in a bed and having Kix fuss over me’ she snarks back, still weary, and Rex keeps his face impassive as he replies.

‘I could tell from my position, sir’ he says and she has the decency to look embarrassed – that is a one up on her Master.

‘Rex- ‘she starts, and she’s got this weird unhappy look on her face that he can’t parse.

‘You’ll make me go grey’ he says, huffing, with a small smirk.

‘I thought you already were’ she squints at him and he rolls his eyes to the ceiling, counting through the first regs in his head.

She drops back onto the pillows, ‘I miss everybody. It’s boring in here.’

‘The boys miss you too, and the General is being … well…. ‘he struggles, frowning, and Tano snorts.

‘I can only imagine. Keep him alive while I’m not there, please, I need him’ she says and his grin is hitched off of something uncertain and yet awfully real.

‘It’s my job, kid’ he says, ‘Also, it would mean you would be the sole member of Command of the 501st and that scares me’ he jokes, and she looks so small, shrinking back.

‘That wouldn’t end well I don’t think’ she banters back, but she sounds tired and young.

‘Get some rest. I don’t need Kix telling me you tried to walk around on your own again while I’m trying to shoot something.’ He says, because, yes, that is what happened.

‘I promise.’ she salutes, this wave imitation of one, and Rex leaves her be.

He finds Skywalker. Looks at the worry etched into the sharp line of his back. He’s all long lines, tall and lithe, and he stands staring out at the rushing of hyperspace through the viewing station, completely still.

For a man who Rex sees as someone who is all action, spirit, an essence of blinding light, he is motionless and contained and quiet. Rex doesn’t like it.

‘Sir?’

Skywalker barely moves, he just inclines his head to address him. The big movements are gone, most of which usually make Rex uncomfortable with their casualness are nowhere to be seen.

‘Captain’ he says, and Rex barrels on.

‘I just visited Commander Tano, sir. She’s in good hands’

‘I know, Rex. But thank you’

Many years later Rex will say that it is instants like this where you can see something was wrong, where he knows he should have reached out, should have done _something_ , but he didn’t. He did his job. He did his duty. He stood by the greatest General the GAR ever had.

And watched as that bright, blinding light burst and shattered under the surface with terrifying muteness. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos/comment.


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